Metre readings

WiserMiser

Agree with all the previous comments that there's an urgent need for someone to read the meter on the wall (or post a photo here). Ditto to keep copies of all bills because BG are notorious for deleting the lot and then rewriting history.

The OP's mum should also be on the Priority Services Register. If there's a problem in getting readings then they'll send out a meter reader.

Two other points to remember:-

• Beware of cancelling the DD. She'll be moved to a Pay On Receipt of Bill tariff that's significantly more expensive.

• Submit a formal written complaint (start off with the word in bold capitals). If no luck, go to the ombudsman if BG send a deadlock letter, or after eight weeks if they don't.

• BG's customer service is dire. Ditch and switch to a friendlier supply such as Octopus, and share a £100 welcome bonus as well.

dburton

thank you for your advice

Am going to start a complaint.

She has no choice but to cancel the DD as she doesn’t have the funds to pay £750 per month with all her other out goings.

I truly believe having looked at the smart meter and studied the readings they have had them round the wrong way for years
Anyone’s thought of if this is true would be appreciated

MattMattMattUK

Without testing to see if the rates have been reversed then we cannot really say. It does happen fairly regularly even if low in percentage terms and it happened to quite a few people in 2024 and 2025 when British Gas migrated to it's new billing platform, so if it has happened then that is the most likely point it occurred.

Do some testing first on which register is being used for which rate on the billing and check when it activates, you will be much more likely to get this resolved in a timely manner if you put the full information in the complaint rather than just "We don't like what we are paying and think it might be X". Lay the information out methodically, no emotion in the complaint, just the facts and the issue in a clear way that BG can use the information. If you need help with that then we can help. As others have said get your mum on the PSR as well.

Crazycat3

I have been dealing with something similar, but with EDF. I had a smart meter fitted last March, I have a 2 rate tariff. To start with the bills looked ok, the meter is in an unoccupied annexe, but during autumn and winter we have storage heaters on low to stop the building going damp, so we have hardly any daytime usage, it is mostly night time. I put the storage heaters on again in October, when my bills came at the end of the year, my daytime usage had gone right up. I raised a complaint with EDF, thinking that my readings had swapped somehow. After taking over 60 spot checks on what tariff my In House Display was showing at various times during the day and night, I found that my tariff was swapping between my different rates a total of 8 times during a 24 hour period. Between 2am to 7am when my storage heaters were charging, the usage went against my daytime rate not my night rate, hence why my bills & daytime readings had gone up. EDF were swearing that my tariff was set up correctly, it was not until I slept over there one night, took a photo of the meter readings on both rates at 2am and again at 7am & proved that all of the load in that 5 hour period went against my daytime tariff. Good luck sorting it out for your mum, I found that date and time stamped photos of the meter display works better than photos of the IHD, they tried arguing that the IHD was not that accurate and all sorts of other excuses. They finally had to believe me, but I am still trying to get my money back off them, I shall be soon putting it through to the ombudsman to try to resolve it.

QrizB

I truly believe having looked at the smart meter and studied the readings they have had them round the wrong way for years

Anyone’s thought of if this is true would be appreciated

The readings can only have been reversed on the current meter since the date of installation. If you're thinking the readings were also wrong on the old meter then you're going to have an uphill struggle proving it.

Now that you've" looked at the smart meter and studied the readings" please can you tell us:

• What the closing readings on the old meter were
• Whether these readings were used to close the old meter in the bill where the meter changed
• What date the meter was exchanged
• What the current readings on the new meter are

This info will help us work out exactly how much you've been overcharged by.

Reed_Richards

Please remember that the readings from your new meter on the bill are just figments of BG's imagination. They are just "estimates" so if these are the wrong way round it just means somebody has made a mistake in their guess about the relative day and night usage.

Your mother must have a bill from BG where they used the readings from her old meter to recalculate her bill. That recalculation must be why she is so much in debt. Can you please find that one and show us the details for our analysis.

You say you have studied your mother's meter. What are the actual day and night readings? How do they compare with the BG estimates? Have you told BG what the actual readings are and asked them to recalculate the bill and the ongoing direct debit?

What is your plan to pay-off your mother's existing debt? Have you told BG that she cannot afford to pay it off quickly? Cancelling the direct debit may get your mother into more difficulties than she is in already, you need to renegotiate the amount.

dburton

thanks everyone here are the smart meter readings as of 3 30 today

QrizB

here are the smart meter readings as of 3 30 today

Thank you for the photos. The object in your photos is not the smart meter. That's the in-home device (IHD).

The smart meter is a white or beige plastic cases device screwed to the wall somewhere, where your electricity supply enters your property. Something like this:

Having said that, we can tell from the IHD that the smart meter was fitted in May last year. Also, if the IHD is accurate then the your mum's electricity bill is currently around £70 a week (£300 a month) and is probably less than £3000 per year.

dburton

Thank you

Took these as well

Not sure how they expect a 96 year old to read these

QrizB

Took these as well … Not sure how they expect a 96 year old to read these

With a "total active import" of 21429 kWh since installation, she's a very high user of electricity.

As well as total active import there should be two separate readings for Rate 1 and Rate 2. I don't have a link right now but if you search for "how to read 5533 meter" or something like tha, you'll find a guide on how to get those two readings.